Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Review 002 - Chiro Star Project

Title: Chiro Star Project

Author & Illustrator: Baek Hye Kyoung

Categories: Shoujo, Comedy, Drama, Gender Bender, Romance

Basic Summary taken from Shoujo Manga Maniac:
Eun-Yo is a girl spoiled by her brothers. Sure of her beauty and her charm, she neglects all the boys who confess to her. Because there's only one in her eyes: Chan-Kyung, the top student in her school. While she has an audition for fun with a girlfriend, she meets Lee Nan, the famous singer, haughty and execrable. He will continually ensnare her...

Definitely one of my favorites, I have a thing for Gender Benders just to let you know. The whole feel of this manga/manwha is a love-hate-then more hate relationship between Eun-Yo/Chiro and Lee Nan. It's not the usual gushy romance types that are so often in shoujo's. It's has such a tension between the two, all the time it seems. Like either of them will snap at any moment, which actually happens a lot during the story. I assume most girls that read this unusal romance will feel a hatred or at least annoyance towards Eun-Yo. Especially at the beginning, being brought up like a princess by her three older successful brothers. But she's not that 2D of a character. She has this flame about her, that makes me want to cheer her on, even though most of the predicaments are her own fault. But she has what most people don't. The willingness to sacrifice everything. Her family, her life, her image of a girl all to get what she wants.

Now Lee Nan on the other hand, his motives are less clear, from up to what I've read to (volume 5, chapter 25) he seems to be a complete ass, though he does have motives for his actions, namely a hefty debt. It's unsure weather he has genuine feelings for Eun-Yo (and if she for the matter has them for him) but he does seem to be obsessed with her.

Ratings:

Visual: 7/10 - The Koreans seem to have a habit of making their drawings look stiff and 2D. It's definitely not as bad as some others I've read, and it has it's charm about it.

Plot: 6/10 A little over used with the debt thing that causes the main character to end up working for the cruel bad boy. Still love it as classic though.

Character Development: 9.5/10 I love how everyone seems to change and experience life, learn from their mistakes, get their hearts broken. Very realistic.

Over-all: 22.5/30 - If you love drama and some Gender Bender magic, go for it.